Swimming and running shoe



R. MENSCHEL SWIMMING AND RUNNING sHoE FiledJan. e, 1927 May 3. 1927.

Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STA REINHOLD MENSCHEL, or BERLMGERMANY.

SWIMMING .AND RUNNING SHOE.

. Application led January 6, 1927, Serial No. 159,476, and in GermanyDecember 9,1926.

This invention relates to a shoe or sandallike structure suitedparticularly forswimming and running. Ihe gistof the invention residestherein that a base-member, the

specific weight of which is lower than that of water,'is combined with aframe consisting preferably of aluminium and serving as support for thefoot and heilig `provided with means for fastening it to the same;

besides, stays extending laterally from said frame hold a web and andhinged to, the said frame thatjthey are movedtrom their normal positionin which they are located practically parallel to each other outwardlyto all sides by the resistance which tlie water presents to said webwhen the foot is swimming. l

If the shoe is used for walking, the stays hang down and remain out ofaction. f

the shoe is used, however, for swimminfr, the stays spread outwardly, asalreadby stated, and act now like the webs of aquatic birds or waterfowl. When the feet are drawn towards the body, the web'gives way, andlin the reverse direction it is extended or spread by the spreadingstays, as `already mentioned. v

The invention is illustrated diagrammatically and by way of exampleonthe accompanying drawing on which Figure 1 is a plan of a shoedesignedaccording to this invention and having its stays with the webspread out; Figure 2 is a side-view of the 85 same shoe, fthe stays andthe `web hanging,

however, downwards; Figure 3 is a vertical cross section 1n the planeA-*B of Fig. 2,

seen from the right to the left, the Weby being omitted in this ligure;Figure 4: shows W a portion of the frame with some of the stays, thisfigure being drawn to an enlarged scale; and Figure 5 Cin-D of Fig. 4. i

vOn the drawing@ denotes a plate, 4pref- 175 er'ably of aluminium, andis'an upwardly 'bent flange of this plate. The plate n serves supportfor the foot; it may have a bulgedfout portion g located below theinstep of the foot and serving as a separate support just for thisportion of the saine. To

the upper' side of the plate n is attached a sandal-like structure awhich may consist of linen or rubber, and may be aiiixed to the foot bystraps and clasps or the like.

Below the plate 'n are base members d consisting either of natural orartificial cork` are so arranged at,

pushed rearwardly as done in is a sectionin the plane enclosed insail-cloth or the like, or of hollow rubber that can be inflated withair by means of a pump. This latter yconst-ructional form is thatillustrated. The hollow rubber-,bodies d are provided with a valve /cresembling that `of a bicycle tire, and from this "valve extends anair-tube m into the saidV bodies. The lowermost member of the entirestructure'consists of a plate of rubber Vor 'leather' 01 is attached tothe bottom surbody d and serves as a which'isususpended a stay c. v Aweb c extends around the plate n and is attached to the inner sides otthe sist of only` one layer, as in the constructional form shown, itmay-be composed of two layers lone being located at the lowerside, theother at the upper side of the stays,and both being connected with eachother in any suitable manner. The web may consist of rubber, silk,fishskin, or the like; its upper or inner rim is attached to the outersurfacey of the flange Z), and the portions located between the flangeand the stays is so broad that it forms folds when the Vweb is notextended, the folded portion being expanded when the web is stretched.

If the shoe is employed on the land, it looks as inFigs; 2 and 3, inwhich case the stayshang freely down. If is used, however, inthe waterfor swimming, the web is spread together with the stayswhen theA foot ispushed rearwards, and is collapsed when the Vfoot is drawn towards thebody.

Figures 2l and 3 show this position, and Figure 1 shows the other o`ne.,In thisother position the outwardmovemen't ofthe stays is vlimited bytheir upper ends contacting with the upper edgesr of the strips p. l

There are, in the constructional form shown as an example, twosuperposed bodies d made integral with each other. In other words: Onebody is subdivided by a horizontal partition wall into two superposedchambers d. It is a matter of course, that there may be more than onepartition wall,

` stays e, as shown inA 1g. l, but instead of letting the web. con-k ormore than two chambers, so that the body is inflated practically onlyvertically. When shoes of this kind are to be transported, the bodies CZmay be compressed, the valve 7c being opened prior thereto, so that thebulk of the shoes can be correspondingly reduced.

The device is very suited for persons desiring to leain to swim, as wellas for persons desiring to swim a long time, or to cover a long way inthe water.

I claim:

l. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport, the specific weight of which is lower than that of water, aframe attached to the upper side of said support, means for attachinglsaid frame to a foot, stays hing-ed to the said frame, and a webfastened to said stays, and means for limiting the outward movement ofthe stays with saidv web when these members have arrived in their properoperative position, substantially as set forth.

2. A swimming and ruiming shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport, the specific weight of which is lower than that of water, analuminium frame attached to the upper side of said support, means forattaching said frame to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and aweb fastened to said stays, and means for limiting` the outward movementof the stays with said w-eb when these members have arrived in theirproper operative position, substantially as set forth.

3. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport formed by an air-illed chamber or air-lilled chambers, a frameattached to the upper side of said support, means for attaching saidframe to a foot, stay-s hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened tosaid stays, and means for limiting the outward movement of the stayswith said web when these niembers have arrived in their proper operativeposition, substantially as .set forth.

4. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport consisting of an air-filled rubber body, a frame attached to theupper side of said support, means for attaching said frame to a foot,.stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened to said stays, andmeans for limiting the outward movement of the stays with said web whenthese members have arrived in, their proper operative position,substantially as set forth.

5. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport, the specific weight of which is lower than that of wat-er, awalking sole secured to the bottom side of said support, a frameattached to the top side of the said support, means for attaching saidframe to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastened tosaid stays, and means for limiting the outward movement of the stayswith said web when these members have arrived in their proper operativeposition, substantially as set forth.

(i.v A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport, the specific weight of which is low-er than that of water, aframe attached to the upper side of said support, means for attachingsaid frame to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and a web fastenedto said stays and having its inner rim aiiixed to the rim of the saidframe, the web portion locatedrnear this rim being folded when in itsposition of rest and expanded when in its operative position, and meansfor limiting the outward mov-ement of the stays with said web when thesemembers have arrived in their proper operative position, substantiallyas set forth.

7. A swimming and running shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport, the specific weight of which is lower than that of water, aframe attached to the upper side of said support, means for attachingsaid frame to a foot, metal strips extending upwardly from the saidframe, outwardly bent pairs of lugs at the free ends of said strips,pins carried by said pairs of lugs, stays hinged to said pins, and meansfor limiting the outward movement of the stays with said web when thesemembers have arrived in their proper operative position, sul'istantiallyas set forth.

8. A swin'iming and running' shoe, comprising, in combination, a footsupport cousistingof a hollow rubber body, an air-valve connected withthis body, a frame attached to the upper side of said support, means forattaching said frame to a foot, stays hinged to the said frame, and aweb fastened to said stays, and means for limiting the outward movementoi the sta-ys with said web when these members have arrived in theirproper operative position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

REN HOLD MENSCHEL.

